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RNS Number : 3962G  Avacta Group PLC  28 April 2025

 

 

Avacta Therapeutics Presents Preclinical and Translational Data from
pre|CISION(®) Platform Candidates at 2025 AACR Annual Meeting

 

FAP-EXd (AVA6103) demonstrates tumor growth inhibition and durable complete
responses in multiple therapy-resistant preclinical models

 

LONDON and PHILADELPHIA - April 28, 2025 - Avacta Therapeutics (AIM: AVCT), a
life sciences company developing next generation peptide drug conjugates (PDC)
targeting powerful anti-tumor payloads directly to the tumor, today announced
preclinical results from its second pre|CISION(®) candidate FAP-EXd (AVA6103)
and new analyses around the potential of the pre|CISION® platform at the
American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.

 

The pre|CISION(®) programs are designed to target fibroblast activation
protein-alpha (FAPα), the protease that forms the basis of the platform. FAP
is consistently overexpressed across a broad range of solid tumors and
enriched at the tumor-stroma interface, making it an ideal target for
tumor-localized drug activation. Avacta's proprietary pre|CISION(®) chemistry
leverages this tumor-specific biology to activate potent drugs selectively at
the tumor site, enhancing efficacy while minimizing systemic toxicity.

 

"The encouraging results we are showcasing at this year's AACR Annual Meeting
highlight the versatility of our pre|CISION(®) platform," said Michelle
Morrow, CSO of Avacta Therapeutics. "Our data presented today demonstrate that
the platform can deliver potent payloads like exatecan with remarkable tumor
selectivity and our novel sustained release mechanism. Together, these
programs reinforce the broad potential of our pipeline to transform outcomes
for patients and generate long-term value for shareholders."

AVA6103 (FAP-EXd) Preclinical Candidate Highlights (Abstract 3139, 28 April
2025)

Avacta presented preclinical data from its second clinical candidate, AVA6103,
a novel FAP-activated pre|CISION(®) PDC delivering the topoisomerase I
inhibitor exatecan directly to the tumor-stroma interface. This mechanism
minimizes systemic toxicity while ensuring precise delivery of the cytotoxic
agent directly to the tumor with a sustained release mechanism that optimizes
the pharmacokinetics of the released payload. Importantly, despite a very
short half-life of 9 hours with conventional exatecan, FAP-EXd (AVA6103) is
capable of delivering high tumor concentration vs. plasma with exposures of
more than 60 hours projected with a single dose. Additionally, FAP-EXd's
bystander effect enables exatecan to induce cytotoxicity in surrounding
FAP-negative cancer cells, enhancing its therapeutic impact.

The compound has demonstrated significant tumor growth inhibition and durable
complete responses in multiple patient-derived xenograft models, including
those that are resistant to topoisomerase I inhibition.  These results
reinforce the potential of FAP-EXd to deliver effective, targeted treatment
with minimal off-target effects. The investigational new drug (IND) submission
is anticipated in December 2025 and initiation of the first-in-human study in
the first quarter of 2026.

Abstract Number and Title: #3139: The novel PDC AVA6103 is a FAP-enabled
pre|CISION(®) medicine which targets exatecan, a topoisomerase I inhibitor,
to the tumor microenvironment following FAP cleavage

·    Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics

·    Session Title: Therapeutic Approach to Attack the Tumor
Microenvironment

·    Session Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2025, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. CT

 

FAP Targeting Approach with pre|CISION(®) medicines (Abstract 2699, 28 April
2025)

FAP is overexpressed across a wide range of solid tumors, with estimated
frequency of over 90% of patients with evidence of FAP expression.  This
expression is spatially enriched at the tumor-stroma interface, demonstrating
the effective nature of the pre|CISION® mechanism to deliver highly potent
payloads directly to the tumor. Given the broad expression of FAP in human
solid tumors and correlation of the protein and RNA levels of FAP, an AI-based
approach to this target was employed with the Avacta strategic collaboration
with Tempus.

Avacta's work with Tempus has demonstrated several key aspects of the
pre|CISION(®) platform, namely (1) FAP expression remains consistent across
lines of therapy and in pre- and post-tumor samples, and (2) co-expression of
genes associated with sensitivity to the payload and FAP identify the optimal
patient populations for pre|CISION(®) medicines including FAP-EXd.   These
data reinforce the potential of Avacta's pre|CISION® platform to deliver
potent therapies across multiple solid tumor indications with broad clinical
utility.

Abstract Number and Title: #2699: Investigating fibroblast activation protein
alpha (FAPα) as a therapeutic target for delivery of pre|CISION(®) cancer
medicines: Expression, spatial localization and functional insights

·    Session Category: Tumor Biology

·    Session Title: Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment: A Brave New
World

·    Session Date and Time: Monday, April 28, 2025, 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. CT

 

 

-Ends-

For further information from Avacta, please contact:

 

 Avacta Group plc                                           www.avacta.com (http://www.avacta.com/)

 Michael Vinegrad, Group Communications

 Director

 Peel Hunt (Nomad and Broker)

 James Steel / Chris Golden                                 www.peelhunt.com (http://www.peelhunt.com/)

 Panmure Liberum (Joint Broker)                             www.panmureliberum.com (http://www.panmureliberum.com)

 Emma Earl / Will Goode / Mark Rogers

 ICR Healthcare

 Mary-Jane Elliott / Jessica Hodgson / Stephanie Cuthbert   avacta@icrhealthcare.com (mailto:avacta@icrhealthcare.com)

 Investor Contact

 Renee Leck                                                 renee@thrustsc.com (mailto:renee@thrustsc.com)

 THRUST Strategic Communications

 Media Contact

 Carly Scaduto                                              Carly@carlyscadutoconsulting.com

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About Avacta - www.avacta.com
(https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avacta.com%2F&data=05%7C02%7CChris.Coughlin%40avacta.com%7Ce5faa8dfbe3d49fc56f808dd35799958%7C64d2165ff9e04869bc73bfe4fc4fa9ab%7C0%7C0%7C638725518576703790%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qWTC74zmTzjVQqwaFiKeiHUwMY5RUlsvb7C%2BkLRahGU%3D&reserved=0)

Avacta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage life sciences company expanding the
reach of highly potent cancer therapies with the pre|CISION(®) platform.
pre|CISION(®) is a proprietary warhead delivery system based on a
tumor-specific protease (fibroblast activation protein or FAP) that is
designed to concentrate highly potent warheads in the tumor microenvironment
while sparing normal tissues. Our innovative pipeline consists of
pre|CISION(®) peptide drug conjugates (PDC) or Affimer(®) drug conjugates
(AffDC) that leverage the tumor-specific release mechanism, providing unique
benefits over traditional antibody drug conjugates.

About the pre|CISION® Platform

The pre|CISION(®) platform comprises an anticancer payload conjugated to a
proprietary peptide that is a highly specific substrate for fibroblast
activation protein (FAP) which is upregulated in most solid tumors compared
with healthy tissues. The pre|CISION(®) platform harnesses this tumor
specific protease to cleave pre|CISION(®) peptide drug conjugates and
pre|CISION(®) antibody/Affimer(®) drug conjugates in the tumor
microenvironment, thus releasing active payload in the tumor and reducing
systemic exposure and toxicity, allowing dosing to be optimized to deliver the
best outcomes for patients.

 

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